Astronomy

Career Opportunities

Astronomy bachelor's or master's degree holders often enter a field unrelated to astronomy, and they are qualified to work in planetariums running science shows, to assist astronomers doing research, and to operate space-based and ground-based telescopes and other astronomical instrumentation.

Persons with only a bachelor's degree in physics or astronomy are not qualified to enter most physicist or astronomer research jobs but may qualify for a wide range of positions related to engineering, mathematics, computer science, and environmental science. Those who meet state certification requirements can become high school physics teachers, an occupation in strong demand in many school districts. Most states require new teachers to obtain a master's degree in education.